How to Make a Trip to Mt. St. Helens Fun and Educational

If find yourself with a Friday or a Saturday with nothing to do with the kids and you live in the Western Washington State area, why not take them to Mt. St. Helens. This trip will not only be educational, but you could even make it fun for them and spend some time with your kids.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Your Car
• Your Kids
• A Picnic Lunch
• Food cooler

1. The day before you leave on your trip, print out directions from your home to Mt. St. Helens National Park. Make sure that you leave in plenty of time. You want to make this day a relaxing day for you and your kids. Make sure that you have purchased the passes to get to Coldwater Lake and Johns Observatory.
2. The day that you leave for Mt. St. Helens get up early and pack a lunch for you and the kids. Make their favorite sandwiches, and include some healthy foods, like apples. You can give your children an apple if they get sluggish on the trip, it will give them a boost, much like caffeine drink would. Put these things in your cooler to keep them fresh.
3. Pack your kids up in the car and head out. If you have a long drive, make sure they have plenty to do while in the car. If you are lucky they will sleep on the way there.
4. Your first stop on your Mt. St. Helens trip is the "Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake" this will give you a history of Mt. St. Helens and is only $3.00 for an adult to get in. This is a fun area to let your kids have fun and do what they want, within your parental view of course.
5. Once you get to the Coldwater Lake, this is when you have your picnic with your kids. Here you can have a beautiful view of the lake and Mt. St. Helens. You should ask your kids if they have learned anything from going to the visitor center.
6. After your picnic head out to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, if it is opened. This is the closest you will get to Mt. St. Helens unless you decide to climb the mountain. Here you will read eyewitness accounts from the eruption. You can hear Forest Rangers speak out the mountain and the environment surrounding the mountain. The times of the talks are posted at the Johnston Ridge Observatory. You can take your kids on a small walk to learn how the eruption
7. At the end of the trip, pack your kids back up in your car and head back home. Hopefully they will be tired enough to sleep all the way back and you can have some quiet time.